Controlling-switch



n.1. MCCARTHY.

coNTRoLLlNG s'wncH.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.I0. 1918.

Patented Mar. 9,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

MZ JF/WWF D. I. MCCAHTHY.

coNTRoLLlNG SWITCH.

APPLICATION FlLED DEC.I0. |918.

1,333,501. Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

D. J. MCCARTHY.

CONTROLLING SWITCH. f APPLICATION FILED DEc.I o. Isls.

1,338,501. Pand Mar. 9,1920.

s sIIEITs-SIIEET s.

DANIEL J'. MCCARTHY, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS ASSIGNOR T CHICAGO RAILWAYSIGNAL AND SUPPLY COMPANY, OF CARPENTERSVILLE, ILLINOIS, A.CGRPORATIONOF ILLINOIS.

CONTROLLING-SWITCI-.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented f Mar. 9, 1920.

Application filed December 10, i918. Serial No. 266,067'.

To aZZ 'rc/wm t may concern Ee it knoivn that I, DANIEL J. MCCARTHY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Elgin, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain nen1 and usefulImprovements in Controlling-Switches, of which the following is aspecification.

My invent-ion relates to a controlling switch, and more particularly toa track b'ox switch for electrically actuated railway signalingapparatus.

The primary objects of the invention are: to provide a switch which Willbe simple and economical in construction; to provide arrangements of theswitch contacts and of the actuating mechanism for making and breakingthe circuits controlled by thedevice whereby the actuation of the switchmechanism will be effected with accuracy by a movement of an actuatinglever of small amplitude; to provide a device coinprising a rockingmember for carrying the movable contact or contacts which has a singlebearing and is rocked in both directions by cani on the actuating shaftof the switch mechanism, thus eliminating springs, links, or otherconnecting members which .involve a multiplicity of bearings and throughWear or faulty adjustment are likely to give occasion for lost motionand uncertainty in operation; to provide a. siniplc device whereby theContact or contacts may be conveniently removed from the rocking meniberwhen necessary, to provide means for protecting the contacts from injuryb v condensation dripping from the track box or casing which inclosesthe mechanism; and to provide other incidental improveniente iu theconstruction of the switch and track box to be hereinafter' describedand claimed. Y

The invention illustrated, .in a preferred embodiment, in theaccompanying draivings. wherein:

Figurey il sectional view taken through the track box showing the switchmechanism part-ly in section andpartly in elevation:

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View of the switch mechanism, andadjacent parts the box, this view being taken on line ,'rf il, but on alarger scale;

to a clevis 84 on the end of the box.

Fig. 3 is a broken plan View of the switch box;v

Figs. l and are sectional views on lines 't-st and 5--5, respectively,of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows, the operating shaftin Fig. 5 beingshown in elevation;

6 isa sectional plan taken through the cani and rocking shafts, andassociated parts, With certain of said parts shown in elevation'for the.purpose of clearness; said views being taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. is a fragmentary sectional View, taken on line TMT of Figj 3,illustrating a preferred form of device for limiting the movement of theoperating shaft; and

F ig. 8 is a fragmentary vievvv in elevation,

showing the preferred manner of securingl the operating crank to one endof the operating shaft.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several figuresof the dra'ivings. Y Referring to the drawings, is a metal box .havingperforated ears 26 for securing 4it to railroad ties or other suitablesupports.

2T is the cover of the box which is hinged to the box at 28 and has apadlock eyelet 2t adapted to be enga-ged by a hasp S-hinged at 3l to anut 39. engaging the threaded end of a rod 33 Which is pivoted at itsother end The nut 32 is adapted to bear upon a forked lng on the cover2T.' he cover may be given a close fit on the box by screwing the nut 32down against lug before the liasp is turned toengage the padlock eyelet29. Preferably, the cover is formed with a fourA sided rib grooved for aresilient .gasket 3T which bears upon the edges of the box, on threesides thereof, and upon a rib formed along the upper edge of thecontactsupporting block 39 of insulating material.y and this gasketI providessuiiiciont resiliency to insure close engagement of the cover on thebox. The insulating block 39 is secnred by bolts el() to a Web ilprojecting upwardly. from the bottom of the box.

Ordinarily there will be several controlling switches in each track box,all operated from a single shaft which is rocked when the switch pointwith which the track box is associated is moved. rIhese controllingunits are all alike and but one need be described. In the arrangementshown the unit comprises two iixed contacts, a front contact 42,

and a rear contact 43, which are secured to the insulatingblock 39 bybinding posts 44, 45, respectively. 46 is a binding post for a wire 47extending to the movable front and back contacts 48, 49, which areadapted to coperate with contacts 42, 43, respectively. The movableconta-cts 48, 49, are springs and are secured to an upwardly projectingnose piece 50 formedv on a metal plate 51 which visa'ernovably securedto the under side'of an insulating block 52 by means of bolts 53. Theinsulating block 52 is attached by bolts 54 'to a rocking member 55having an arm 56 provided with a hub 57 for mounting the memberrevolubly on a shaft 58. lThe vfor- `ward end of arm 5G carries a roller59 and a similar roller 60 is mounted in a bifurlcatedlug 61 on therocking member 55. The

rollers 59, 60 are adapted to bear against a -cam ring 62 which is fixedto a roc'k shaft 63 adapted to be operated by a lever 64. TheV shaft 62projects from the box on opposite sides yand the lever 64 may beattached to either end-of the shaft as may be most convenient,inaccordance with the position of the box with respect to the track. Tie cam -ring-62fis formed with a cam 65 (and-preferi ably with anothercam 66 which comes into CIK play when the switch is used in connectionwith a three-position signal). The circumferential dimension of cam 65is such that when one of the rollers 59 or 60 is at the extreme. end ofvthe cam the other roller bearsfon'the cani ring at a'point closely ad-'acent the cam. A verf slight angular moveinent'of the rock shaft will,therefore, cause one roller to ride down from the cam upon the narrowestpart of the canrring and the vother roller to ride up from the ring uponfthe cam. cam produces 'a rocking movement of the The rotationalmovement of the structure carrying contacts 48 and 49 which `breaksthe'circuit controlled by one of the contacts and closes the-circuitcontrolled by the'other. yFor both positions of rest ofthe rockingmember both contact springs are flexed'. In'theposition of the partsshown `in Figs. l and 2, the front Contact spring 48 Iis l*flexedagainst the fixed Vcontact 42 while Vthe back contact spring 49 isiiexed lagainst la relatively rigid finger 67 which secured t0therprojection 50 on the rocking member. A similar linger 68 is arrangedon the opposite side of spring 48. Tlhen the rocking member vis moved toits other zaosition contact snrin' '48 remains in 'con tact with thefixed contact 42 until separated "therefrom by the vrigid finger 68.Contact spring 49'isbrought to bear against the fixed contact 43 beforethe rocking member reaches'the limit of its angular movement.

number to the 4pairs of clutch rollers VThe continued angular movementof the rocking member withdraws linger 67 from contact spring 49. Thecontact springs and fingers are so disposed that the making of onecircuit takes place immediately after the breaking-ofthe other. By thesearrangements of the circuit making and breaking devices and by theconstructionof actuating mechanism for shifting the movable contacts soas to minimize lost motion, a controlling Switch is provided which willbe accurate and positive in its operation, without requiring adjustmentsand repair, even where the angular movement of the controlling shaft,shaft 63,'is small. This is an important consideration in a track boxcontroller which is'operated by a switch point pluralityof disks 69 aresecured to the shaft 63, the'hubs of the disks abut against each otherso as to provide spacing elements `which'hold the cams in spacedrelation with each other. The edge of the disk is provided with aretaining flange 7 0 for one side of the cam and an adjusting ring 7lbearing against the other side of the cam ring. The surface 72 -of thedisk 69 is formed with recesses 73 which are shallow at the middle andre made deeper at their extremities, the bottoni of the recess beingsubstantially V-shaped in section, shown Iin Fig. 2. Ineach ofthesereces -es are arrangechon opposite sides of the high point at thecenter, a pair of clutch rollers 74 pressed toward each other by springs75. These rollers are capable of wedging engagement betweenthefcani ring62 and the shallow end of the recesses 73 and act as a clutch'to preventrelative turning. rThe adjustingplate 71 is supported in proper positionby set screws -76 which extend through `slots 77 yinthe plate. Clearanceis provided between the screw head and the plate so that Athe plate maybe rotated slightly by i .iieans of its handle 78. The plate carries u.plurality of studs 79 corresponding in 74, a stud extending-between eachpair of such rollers. The rotation of the adjusting plate will force oneclutch roller ef each pair back into lthe widened end of its recess soas to vallowthe rotational adjustment of the cam ring in the oppositedirection of such roller. When this adjustment has been made theadjusting ring 71 may be turned back so as to put the studs 79 in theiroriginal position by means of the pressure of the spring against thestuds.

rIhe rocking members of the severa-l units` are all mounted on shaft 58with their hubs 57 bearing on each other, end to end. Shaft 58 issupported on bosses 80, 81, on the inner sides of the box and the shaftbeing held in place by set screws 82 in boss 80. The shaft is put intoplace through a perforation 8? in the side of the box, this openingbeing closed afterward by a plug 84.

The rock shaft 63 is supported at opposite ends by bushings 85, 86,which are preferably driven upon the shaft so as to rotate therewith.These bushings extend through bosses 87, 88, on the box 25 and providebearings for the rock shaft 63. The inner ends of the bushings 85, 86are formed with flanges which bear against the inner faces of the bosses87, 88.V These flanges arecut away, as indicated at 89 (Fig. 7) toprovide lugs 90, 91 which engage stops 9'2, 92 when the shaft 63 isrocked a predetermined dis tance in either direction. The stop consistspreferably of bolts 93 which extend through holes in the bosses 87, 88.

The operating arm 64: is formed with a squared opening adapted to iitIover either end of the shaft 68, and is slit as indicated at 94. Aclamping bolt 95 extends through the inner end of the arm 64 which whentightened clamps the arm' firmly on the shaft. The shank of this boltfits in a groove 96 formed in the shaft 63, so as to prevent any lateralmovement of the arm, and keeps the arm in perfect alinement with the rodconnecting it with the switch. Gata is a washer which fits over theopposite end of the shaft 63 which projects ont of the track box.

The switch boxes are ordinarily mane of cast iron and considerableinconvenience has been experienced through the condensation Iof moistureon the under sides of the covers of the boxes and the dripping' of thiscondensation upon the electrical contacts of the switch mechanism.Toprevent this I provide a shield plate 97 which extends across the boxfrom side to side above the contacts. This shield plate is pivoted tothe sides of the box by pivots 98 extending through flanges 99 formed onthe end of the shield plate. These flanges are notched at Ithe endsopposite to the pivots as indicated -at 100, for engagement with studs101 on the box. The shield plate may be raised to give access to thecontacts but before the cover plate of the box can be put in place theshield plate must be folded down to horizontal position.

It will be seen that the switch mechanism of my invention is extremelysimple in its construction and lpositive in its operation.

The compactness of the mechanism allows it to be closed in a box whichwill not extend above the upper surface of the rail when the box islocated on the ties supporting such rail. The actuating mechanism of theswitch employs no-springs or links or toggles. The rocking member ismounted on a single shaft, the wear upon which will be comparativelyslight due to the small angular movement of the rocking member. Thevpossibility of developing lost motion through wear of the parts isreduced to a minimum.Y The arrangement of the con tacts is such that aslight angular movement of the rocking member carrying the movablecontacts will open one of the controlled circuits and close the other.

I claim:

1. In an electric current controller, the combination of a rockingmember, a contact element carried thereby, another contact elementagainst which the aforesaid element is adapted to bear, and a revolublecani which bears against the rocking member at two separated points forrocking said member positively in both directions.

In an electric current controller, the combination ofa rocking member, acontact element carried thereby, another contact elementagainst whichthe aforesaid element is adapted to bear, a revoluble cam ring formedwith a cam, and a pair of rollers on the rocking member adapted to bearupon said cam ring and cam, arranged so that they engage the cam one ata time.

3. In an electric current controller, the combination of a rockingmember, a contact element carried thereby, another contactV elementagainst which the aforesaid element is adapted to bear, a rock shaftadapted to be moved by a switch point, a disk fixed to said shaft, a camadapted to engage said rocking member to move the same positively inboth directions, and means for adjustably securing said cam to saiddisk.

a. In an electric current controller, the combination of a. rockingmember provided with a pair of rollers, a contact element carried by therocking member, and a revolnbly supported cam ring against which bothrollers bear at aiferent distances fromithe center of movement thereof.

5. In anfelectric cur 1ent controller, the

combination of a rocking member provided with a pair of rollers, acontact element carried by the rocking member, a rock shaft adapted tobe moved by a switch point, and a cam ring fixed to said shaft withwhich both rollers bear at different distances from its center ofmovement.

6. In an electric current controller, the combination of a shaft, arocking member mounted on ythe shaft provided with. contact eupportingmeans on one side of the shaft and an arm projecting on the other sidethereof provided with a roller, a rockshaft, a cam vring` fixed theretoAWith capacity `for circumferential adjustment thereon, and anotherroller on the i'oclringmember adapted to bear on said cam-ring- 7. linan electric current controller, the combination with a rocking memberAand means `for rocking` the same, of an insulating block secured Vtosaid member, a contact carrier removably secured to the under side oitsaid'bloclr and havinga projection at one side of said-block, and aContact spring secured -to said projection. Y

8. ln an electric current controller, the combination -with a rockingmember and means 'for rocking the same, oi an insulating block securedto said member, a contact carrier removably secured to the under side ofsaid block and haring a projection at one side ot said block, and a pairot' Contact springs secured to opposite sides ot' said projection.

9. ln an electric current controller, the combination with a roel;member and means for rocking the same, of an insulating block secured tosaid member, a contact carrier remorably securedto said block and havinga projection at one side of said block, a pair ot fixed contacts, a pairof spring` contacts secured to said projection so as to extend betweenthe Vtixed contacts, and a pair of rigid fingers secured to saidprojection on opposite sides of said springcontacts.

l0. ln an electric current controller, the combination with a lixedcontact, oiga rocking member, mechanism for rocking :the same, aninsulating block secured to said rocking fmember, a plate arranged onthe under side of said block, astening devices extendingthrough theblock from the top for holding` said plate in position, an .upuf'ardlyVand outwardly extending projection onsaid plate, a spring contactmember, and means for securingthe same to said projection.

11. ln an electric current controller, the combination with a lixedcontact, ot a rocio ing member, mechanism for rocking the same, aninsulating block secured to said rocking member, a plate arranged on theunder side or" said block, fastening devices extending,- through theblock from the top 'for holdingsaid plate in position, an upwardly andoutwardly extending projection.

on said plate, a spring` Contact .membeiy a rigid inger for forcing`said spring contact member away trom the vlixed contact, and

Vmeans `for securing said spring contact and finge to said projection.

l2. In an electric current controller, the combination with a pair otfixed contacts, of a 'rocking member, mechanism for rocking the same, aninsulating; block secured to said rockingmember,a plate arranged on theunder side of said block, fasteningdevices extending through the lblockfrom the 4top for holding said plate in position,'an upwardly andoutwardly extending projection on said plate, a kpair of spring contactsadapted to -enoage with said ixed contacts, respectively,

a pair of rigid Alingers adapted to -1orcesa1id spring contacts fromrtheir respective lixed contacts,.and means tor securingsaidilingers and'spring Acontacts' vto said {pro-jection.

13. In an electric current controller, the combination with a rockingmember and mechanism torace-hing the saine,=of a li-xcd contact, aspring Contact on ythe .rocking member adapted to be lexed :against the:fixed contact anda rifidcircuit breakin@ y a l a o linger on therocxing' member adapted to bear against the' spring contact andseparateit fromthe ixedlcontactand `liex the spring inthe opposite direction. Y

let, 'in an electric current controller, .the combination with aVrocking member and mechanism for rockingvthe same, of a pair ofoppositely arranged fixed contacts, a pair oi' spring contacts -on ytherocking member adapted to vbe `flexed against said 'xed contactsrespectively, and a pair ofrigid circuit breaking` fingers on-therocking` member adapted to be brought to bear against the spring`contacts, respectively, lIto separate them fronitheir fixed contacts-andlflex-them in opposite directions.

l5. In atrack box circuit controller, the combination With a lbox, of arock shaft moimtedfinthe box and adapted tolbe rocked by a switchpoint,a rockinginember in said box, va. cam on `said shaft 'for movingsaid rocking' member positively in opposite directions, a fixed contact,a spring-contact on the rocking` member adapted to be flexed aagainsttheffixed cont-act, anda rigid circuit breaking finger on therockingmember adapted to be brougl'lt to'beafrv against the springcontact to separate it from the fixed vContact and flex it inthe-opposite direction.

lG. In a tracl`b0x circuitcontrollergthe combination with a box, ol'Y arock shaft mountedin the' box and adapted tobe rocked by a switchpoint,a rocking member insaid box, a-'cam on said shaftft'or' moving saidrocking membeipositively in opposite directions, a `pair of' opposite'lyvarranged. fixed contacts, a pan' ofsprlng contactsv on lthe lrockingmember adapted tofbeliexed against 'said rixed contacts, lrespectively,and a pair iso and flex them in. opposite directions, uml

means for adjusting said cam circumferentialljY with respect to the rockshaft.

18.` The combination with a track box having cover over the top of thesame and a switch mechanism therein comprising fixed and movablecontacts; of a shield plate arranged over said contacts pvo'ted at oneend to the boX directly under the cover thereof, and means forsupporting the other end of said plate.

' 19. In an electric current controller, the

l combination with a plurality of rocking members and contacts carriedby said Vmembers, of means for rocking said members comprising a shaft,cams secured von said shaft, and provided. with spacing hubs, and anoperating arm connected to said shaft and adapte-d to be operativelyconnected with a switch.

20. In an electric current controller, the combination with a pluralityof rocking` members formed with spacing hubs, contacts carried by saidmembers, means for rocking said members comprising a rock shaft, and a.plurality of cams capable of circumferential Vadjustment and formed withspacing hubs secured to said rock shaft.

91. In` an electric current controller, the combination with a rockingmember, of a contact member carried by said rocking member and adaptedto have a limited movement, of means for rocking said member comprisinga rock shaft, a cam on said shaft adapted to engage said member at twopoints, and means providing a stop for said shaft whereby its movementmay be limited.

Q2. In an electri; current controller, the combination with a casing, ofa rocking member in the casing, a cont-act member carried b the rockingmember and adapted to have a limited movement, means for rocking saidmember comprising a shaft, and

a cam on said shaft adapted to engage said rocking member, and means forlimiting the movement of the rock shaft comprising a bushingrsecured tothe shaft to provide a bearing and provided with a flange which is cutaway to provide stops which engage a projection on said casing.

23. In an electric currentcontroller, the combination with a casing, ofa rocking' member `in the casing, a contact member carried by therockinq' member and adapted ,to have a limited movement, means for rockiing said member comprising a square shaft,

a cam on said shaft adapted to engage said rocking member, and means forlimiting the movement of the rock shaft comlnising` a cylindricalbushing secured to the shaft to provide a p bearing and provided with aflange which is cut away to provide stops which engage a projection onsaid casing.

24. In an electgic` switch, the combination of circuit .making andbreaking mechanism comprising two elements, one of which is rotatableupon the other and which are formed to provide recesses between theelements tapering in depth toward each' other, a revoluble clutch memberin each of said recesses, and means for forcing one of said members intothe deep end of its recess to permit the adjustment rotationally of oneclement on theother.

In an electric switch, the combination of a revoluble actuating element,a circuit controlling element mounted thereon with capacity forrotational adjustment'. and means for providingl an adjustable engagement between said revoluble element and circuit controlling element.comprising" a pair of spring pressed, revoluble clutch members betweensaid elements oppositely` arranged so that one operates to opposerelative movement between the elements in one direction and the other inthe other direction, and a device rotatably mounted on one of saidelements adapted, by its movement in one direction or the other, toengage one of the clutch members and move it to an inoperative position.l

26. In an electric switch, the combination of a revoluble actuatingelement, a circuit controlling element mounted thereon with capacity forrotational adjustment and means for providing an adjustable engagementbetween said revoluble element and circuit controlling element,comprising a` pair of spring pressed, revoluble clutch members betweensaid elements oppositely arranged so that one operates to opposerelative movement between the elements in one direction and the otherinthe other direction, a device rotatably mounted on one of saidelements adapted, by its movement in one direction or the other, toengage one of the clutch members and move it to an inoperativeposition,` and means for fixing said rotatable device to the elementvwhich it engages.

27. ln an electric switch, the combination of a xed Contact, a movablecontact, an actuating shaft, a cam associated with the shaft, a camactuated device connected with the movable contact and adapted to movesaid movable cont-act into and out of engagement with said fixedcontact, means for adjusting the position, rotationally, of the cam onthe shaft comprising a disk keyed to the shaft and formed with a recesswhich increases in depth toward its ends from a point of minimum depth,a pair of rollers in the'opposlte ends of said recess, springs to pressthe rollers toward the shallow p0r-V tion of the recess, a platerotatably engaged with the disk provided with a stud adapted to bearagainst one or other of said rollers in accordance with the direction inwhich the plate is rotated, and means for fixing said plate to the disk.

Q8. In an electric switch, the combination with a pair-of oppositelyarranged contacts, a movable contact disposed between the irst namedcontacts, a revoluble, eccentrically formedl member for moving saidlast-named contact, an actuating shaft on which said revoluble member issupported, a disk fixed to the shaft and arranged between the shaft andthe revoluble member, said disk being formed with a recess increasing indepth tmvard its ends from a point of minimum depth, rollers in saidrecess, springs to force said rollers toward the shallow part of therecess, and a plate rotatably engaged with said disk, and having meansfor fixing it thereto provided with a stud which is adapted, when theplate is rotated, to engage one or other of said rollers to force thesame into the deep end of its recess.

29. An electric current switch, compris ing acam -controlled contactmember, means Jfor actuating` the cam and a :friction clutchfortransmitting movement from said actuating means to the cam wherebysaid cam is capable of delicate adjustment with respect to saidactuating means.

30. An electricV current switch comprising a fixed and movable Contact,means for moving said movable contact, an operating arm and a frictionroller clutch for transmitting movement between said operating arm andsaid moving means whereby said moving means may be adjusted relative tosaid op- @rating arm.V

31.111l an electric current switch, fixed and movable switch contacts, acam for actuating the movable contact, a switch operating necting saidarm and cam whereby said cam may be adjusted relative to said arm tovary the time of actuation of said movable contact.

v DANIEL J. NGCARTHY. Vitnesses: Y

RUTH MITCHELL,

SOHUYLER C. Booten.

arm, a friction roller clutch for con-

